Paine Field awaiting decision on passenger flights

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Monday morning the agency has not yet released its decision on passenger airline service at Everett's Paine Field.

The Daily Herald reported Snohomish County council members received a letter Friday saying the FAA was about to release the decision.

An environmental review in September found that adding some commercial flights would not significantly increase noise, traffic or air pollution.

Allegiant Air wants to start operating four flights a week.

Alaska Air Group spokeswoman Bobbie Egan says it prefers Sea-Tac, but if a competitor started using Paine Field it would be compelled to add flights there, too, on Horizon Air or Alaska Airlines planes.

Paine Field already handles wide body jets from the nearby Boeing factory, but neighbors have objected to regular commercial service.